Biography/Historical Note

Carol Kolodny was born in 1950 in Washington D.C. She spent many summers with her parents in the artist's community on Martha’s Vineyard. Then in 1975, after attending Antioch College where she had an interest in illustration, she moved to Martha’s Vineyard. She began working for her cousin at the Rainy Day Gift Shop and on the side, did small freelance graphic design projects for local businesses including posters and restaurant menus. She then returned to school in New York City to learn graphic design. When she returned to Martha’s Vineyard, she began work at Tisbury Printers where she gained much of her practical design skills.

Mary Rentschler is also a lifelong Vineyarder, originally hailing from the Chicago area. She comes from a long line of artists and has accumilated a broad understanding of design.

In the early 1980s, Carol and Mary started the Kolodny and Rentschler design group and created designs for such businesses and organizations as the Nathan Mayhew Seminars and Farm Neck Golf Club. In the beginning they worked closely with the Gazette, adhering to its advertisement precedents, but as they gained more business and popularity, branched out into their own style based on the client’s needs.

At first, they were met with some skepticism. Given the seasonal nature of the majority of businesses on Martha’s Vineyard, possible clients did not understand why funding a third party design group would be profitable. Most individuals and businesses were accustomed to using the Vineyard Gazette as their media source and had designed many of their own advertisements. In addition, some of the old established businesses on Martha’s Vineyard doubted Kolodny and Rentschler’s abilities due to sexist sentiments.

Therefor, Kolodny and Rentschler primarily provided their services to new and more open minded businesses and organizations, specifically, The Black Dog, Espresso Love, Martha's Vineyard Community Hospital, Beadnicks, and numerous other restaurants and inns. As they gained popularity and respect on the Island, they received more business and became the prominent graphic design group for Martha’s Vineyard. Their designs have become familiar around the country, especially for The Black Dog’s logo.

While breaking through gender barriers, Kolodny and Rentschler also endured and embraced the technological revolution. Eventually in the late 1990s, Carol Kolodny began to work less with tactile graphics and work more with the technologies made available by personal computers. The technologies were new and difficult to learn but revealed infinite possibilities in typography and color. Mary Rentschler remained loyal to tactile methods, and hired additional employees to handle the technological aspect. This was one reason for the split between Kolodny and Rentschler. Kolodny moved on to work with Clifford Dorr and Rentschler continued with her profession by starting Rentschler and Company Interiors, an interior design group.

Scope and Content of Collection

The collection contains materials that feature the graphic art created by Carol Kolodny, Mary Rentschler, their joint project, Kolodny and Rentschler Design Group, and Kolodny's work with Clifford Dorr at Kolodny (Clifford) Dorr Media Group. The materials in the collection include advertisements, catalogs, informational brochures, and other materials used to promote local Martha’s Vineyard businesses, organizations, and individuals. The items included in the collection represent the collaborative works of the design group, the client, and other third party contributors.

Arrangement

Series I: Private Business Client materials

Series II: Community Client materials

Series III: Individual Client materials

The collection is organized by client and then, when possible, chronologically. Original order was maintained.

Note

Note

Community Client materials, 1984-2006

Scope and Content

The series includes materials from community organizations located on Martha’s Vineyard. It consists of items from the Martha’s Vineyard Community Hospital, Martha’s Vineyard Community Housing Bank Coalition, Martha’s Vineyard Preservation Trust, Windemere Nursing and Rehabilitation center, The Nathan Mayhew Seminars, Focus: Fellowship of Christians in Universities and Schools, and community theater. The materials consist of brochures, pamphlets, pledge cards, annual reports, and a playbill.

Box

Folder

Martha's Vineyard Preservation Trust brochure, undated

5

20

Martha's Vineyard Community Hospital "Building for the Next Generation" pamphlets, 2003

Individual Client materials, undated

Scope and Content

The series includes materials from individuals on Martha’s Vineyard. It consists of items from Caroline Worthington, Tom Maley, The Nightingales, and Susan Branch. The materials consist of invitations, a brochure, and a sales catalog.